Riding A Motorcycle In The Rain
Your motorcycle means the freedom to explore the open road and chase thrills on any day—but it’s also a pretty dangerous means of transportation. No matter how experienced and talented you are, you can’t always account for the weather. With high speeds, low weight, and only two wheels, rain is especially dangerous for your riding. So what do you do?
You read on, of course! We here at Bluegrass Harley-Davidson have a few tips and tricks for staying safe on your bike, even in the rain. If you have any questions, or if you’re looking for a new motorcycle to try these out with, contact our store in Louisville, Kentucky. Our friendly and experienced staff will help you find what you need at the prices you want!
Prepping Your Bike
Your own talents and experience aren’t the full equation, remember. You’ll need to properly prepare your bike for the rain if you want to travel through it safely. Never ride in the rain if your bike needs maintenance, or really at all. Do any and all preventative maintenance you can to avoid bigger issues down the road. You’ll be glad you did if anything happens!
Start with tires. When it’s wet and slick out, you’ll need all the traction and control you can manage. Make sure the air pressure matches the recommendations in your owner’s manual, then ensure you have enough tread and that there’s no debris in it. Next, make sure you’ve got all the fuel and oil you’ll need, then verify that all your lights are functioning properly. Take care of any issues you find here before you head out.
Proper Gear
With your bike all sorted, it’s time to get you ready for a rainy ride. You’ll want all your normal safety gear, of course, but make an effort to adapt it to the circumstances you’re facing. If your usual gear includes leather items, you’ll want to switch it up, since leather and water don’t mix well.
If rain riding seems like a frequent possibility or it’s just raining hard enough, you might want a one-piece rain suit. That will keep your clothes nice and dry. These may be bulky and expensive, but it provides the protection you need in the rain without forcing you to change up any other gear too much. Alternatively, you might invest in a waterproof riding jacket and waterproof pants. Ideally, you’ve got something that’s highly reflective or bright to ensure other motorists can see you in the poor weather.
You should also wear a full-face helmet. Less complete head coverings are fine in other weather, but you don’t want a steady stream of water straight into your face as you cruise along. Goggles won’t prevent water running down your face or into your nose or mouth, so make sure you have a helmet with a waterproof face shield and something to prevent fogging. Shielded riding gloves are also good for keeping your hands warm and limber to optimize control.
Eyes Up
You and your bike can be decked out for wet weather all you want, but you’ll still need to keep an eye out for road hazards. Avoid low-traction surfaces like steel plates in construction sites, which become incredibly slick in the rain. Once they get wet, they provide little to no traction at all, which is incredibly dangerous for your lightweight and two-wheeled bike. If you can’t avoid going over a steel plate, do it slowly and never attempt to change directions while doing it. Trying to turn means running the risk of sliding.
Intersections are another dangerous area. They’re already risky, since they’re complicated and sometimes unpredictable, but in the rain they become much worse. As cars idle, they drip oil and other slick fluids. When the rain starts pulling that out of the pavement, the road becomes unbelievably slippery. This is another major hazard for motorcycles, so if possible, avoid heavy intersections. If you can’t, again, make sure to take them slow and avoid sudden changes in direction.
We hope these tips help keep you safe and in control the next time you have to ride through the rain! If you want more advice, or you’d like to browse through the motorcycles we have for sale, contact us at Bluegrass Harley-Davidson. We proudly serve the people of Louisville and Jeffersonville, Kentucky, and Jefferson, Indiana—let us serve you today!